Boot or shoe.



M. H. CLARK. Boor on snor-i. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 6| 1915 Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

win/8858.-

H/.S' ATTORNEY i boot or shoe with an inner stratum or lining A omai) STATES PATENTOFFICE MYRON H. CLARK, 0F HASTINGS-UPON-HUDSON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GOODYEARS METALLIC RUBBER SHOE CQMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F CONNECTICUT.

i Boor on sHoE.

vented certain new and useful Improvements in Boots or Shoes, of which the following is a'full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to articles of rubber footwear and the method of producing same, and has for an object to produce 1n such articles a smooth even interior surface. I accomplish my object by providing the of vulcanized rubber or rubber compound -all hereinafter more fully set forth, and

illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein; v

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a partly built boot on its last; Fig. 2 is a similar View of a completed boot; Fig. 3 is a similar view corresponding to that vin Fig. 1 4showing a modified construction; and Fig. 4. is a. longitudinal section of the same in its next stage of manufacture.

To build a bootembodying my improved construction, I have found the most effective method, and that which I wish to protect, to be the following:

I Iapply to a last 5, Fig. 3, a ply of fabric 6,.covering the leg and foot portion but .merely overlapping the sole portion. To the sole portion, and covering the overlapping edges of the fabric 6 Iapply an insole 7. A sheet of rubber 8 is then superposed on the above named parts so as to completely cover them, and the thus far built up structure set and unified by the vulcanizing process. Thus far the fabric ply 6 and the insole 7 have formed the inner surface next to the last 5.' I therefore next strip the united material therefrom, and in so doing reverse the relation of the vplies so that the rubber stratum, which was, up to this point, located on the outside, becomes the inside layer. I then replace the whole, while reversed, on the last. and finish by any preferred method of building boots, the additional part being shown in Fig. 2 at 9. The procedure, above described is that illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, wherein the margin. of the fabric ply 6 is applied' to the last before the insole 7. I

Specification of Letters lvatent.

Patented Nov. 30, y1915.

application mea March e, 1915. seriai No. 12,477.

prefer this method in that it provides in the finished article a more even surface for the `foot than that I have shown in Fig. l in which I apply the insole 7 beforel the fabric 6. Under some circumstances, however, I contemplate using thc latter procedure and desire to protect it.

The turning of the inside plies above de-v the last gives the fabric a uniform stretch throughout, thereby removing any wrinkles therein, while the inside of the completed boot consists of a slightly compressed, but smooth structure of vulcanized rubber, this stratum eliminating the tendency to wear out socks, so objectionable in boots-'of the conventional construction.

In the conventional boot, embodying as it does a ply of fabric on one side of which are superposed successive plies of plastic material, a flexion of the vboot is accompanied by an unbalanced compression or stretch of the material, the fabric, which is substantially non-elastic, determiningthe line of flexion. On the other hand, a boot such as is produced by the method I have hereinbefore described, is found to4 be extremely flexible. This flexibility is attributable to the vfact that the non-elastic element," the fabric,

ismidway between two plies of `elastic material, and any flexing is .accompanied by a,-

balanced compression and stretch of the latter elements.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to have protected by Letters Patent is: A

The method of manufacturing footwear,

which consists in applyingto a last a ply.

offabric, and an insole and then a layer of vulcanizable plastic; submitting said parts to the" vulcanizing process; removing said parts from the last; turning same inside out; replacing said parts on the last in their reversed relation; and finishing by any preferred method.

scribed and subsequent replacing of them on Signed at New York city, ,in the county of i New York, and State of New York, this 3rd day of March, 191,59

' f MYRON H. CLARK.

Witnesses: 1

MAUDE PrArrMANN, CLARENCE H. GUILD, Jr. 

